Hepatitis: Are you infected?

Mandatory screening of blood donors for HBV and HCV and introduction of disposable needles and syringes are very useful measures to ensure tighter control on the spread of these viruses, as is the emphasis on HBV vaccinations in childhood and pregnancy.

By: Editorial Team | | Published: August 22, 2018 2:39 pm

An alarming 95% of people with hepatitis are unaware that they have an infection. There are five types of viral hepatitis (A, B, C, D and E) that affect the liver. Hepatitis B and C are the most contagious and if left untreated, they damage the liver often in irreversible ways.

“People with untreated hepatitis B and C are active carriers of the disease and can transmit the virus to others. So, we need to break this transmission cycle if we are to bring down the incidence of hepatitis B and C in India. We also need to ensure early detection and proper treatment so that these viruses do not become chronic and result in liver cancer or cirrhosis,” said Dr Asokananda Konar, Gastroenterologist and clinical Director at Peerless Hospital and B.K Roy Research Centre.

According to the World Health Organization, one of the main roadblocks to early detection of hepatitis is poor awareness of risk factors. People who are better informed about their hepatitis risk can prevent exposure to the viruses, get screened if they suspect they are at risk, and receive timely treatment to prevent the disease from progressing to a chronic condition.

Here are some of the situations and scenarios that could expose you to these dangerous infections

#1: Sharing of contaminated needles or blades: “Both HBV and HCV are transmitted through infected blood and body fluids. A major proportion of those infected with hepatitis B and C are intravenous drug users or people
on whom contaminated needles may have been used during tattooing or acupuncture,” he added.

Few people realize much later that even sharing of shaving apparatus, toothbrushes and nail clippers with an infected person can put them at risk of contracting hepatitis B or C. Minimize your risk of infection by avoiding sharing of personal toiletries, choosing safe and hygienic tattoo parlors and checking that acupuncture needles have been thoroughly sterilized before use.

#2: Re-use of syringes and other invasive medical equipment: Recent WHO statistics state that 33% of global hepatitis B infections and 42% of hepatitis C infections are the result of using unsafe or contaminated injection syringes.

“Most of these cases are reported in developing countries such as India. This is a public health issue that is entirely preventable. Experts recommend that all healthcare practitioners and diagnostic facilities should switch to Re-Use Prevention (RUP) syringes, both for routine blood tests and for immunization. Other alternatives proposed
include the use of Sharps Injury Prevention (SIP) devices to avoid Needles Stick Injuries (NSIs) to reduce the risk of transmission of these two viruses,” he said.

#3: Unprotected sex with an HBV or HCV carrier: Sexual transmission of the infection is a bigger problem in the case of hepatitis B than of hepatitis C. This is because the hepatitis B virus thrives in blood and body fluids such
as semen and vaginal fluids. HCV survives largely in the blood and spreads through direct blood-to-blood contact. If you are sexually active, it is important that you practice safe sex and get yourself regularly screened for hepatitis B and C.

#4: Occupational hazards: Doctors, healthcare professionals and dentists are recognized as a high-risk group,
since they are frequently exposed to human blood and other infectious biological material during work. Recent research 3 reveals that out of an estimated 36 million healthcare workers worldwide, about 3 million receive an injury with a sharp instrument each year, exposing 2 million to HBV and 1 million to HCV. It is critical for such high-risk individuals to get vaccinated against hepatitis B and routinely screened for HCV infection. These measures are an important part of HBV and HCV risk reduction practices.

Hepatitis B has a vaccine but no cure, while hepatitis C has no vaccine, but can be cured with antiviral treatment. Since both viruses have the potential to become chronic and continue transmission, control strategies should be based on early detection and proper treatment.

“We need to continue with our awareness building programs for HBV and HCV, continue to share information on the risk factors and get rid of the social stigma that surrounds these infections, discourages open discourse and
hampers screening and treatment,” said Dr Konar.

(by Dr Asokananda Konar)

Image Source: Shutterstock

Published : August 22, 2018 2:39 pm

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